Sensing analytical instrument parameters, specimen characteristics, or both from sparse datasets

A sensor system comprising:

• a detector configured to acquire a sparse dataset from an electron beam probe arranged to sub-sample a specimen;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the detector and configured to:
• determine directly from the sparse dataset a baseline state of the specimen, the electron microscope system, or both, wherein the baseline state is based on a plurality of metrics;
• quantify distances of subsequent states of the specimen, the electron microscope, or both from the baseline state, wherein the subsequent states are determined directly from subsequent sparse datasets;
• compare the subsequent states to the baseline state;
• and
• estimate instrument parameters, specimen characteristics, or both.

An electron microscope system comprising:

• an electron beam probe configured to sub-sample a specimen in a serial mode;
• a detector configured to acquire a sparse dataset from the electron beam probe sub-sampling the specimen;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the detector and configured to determine directly from the sparse dataset a baseline state of the specimen, the electron microscope system, or both prior to computational reconstruction of an image of the specimen, or without computational reconstruction of an image of the specimen, wherein the baseline state is based on an expanding or moving window baseline set, on a threshold value (c), and on at least one additional metric;
• to quantify distances of subsequent states of the specimen, the electron microscope, or both from the baseline state, wherein the subsequent states are determined directly from subsequent sparse datasets;
• and to compare the subsequent states to the baseline state.